Plan for Adam DeGrandis

I announce the release of a couple new tutorials on Games Extract. But more important than that (for me): thoughts about the future.

Before I get into the meat of this .plan, Id like to make a few quick announcements. First, these barrier packs:

Barbed Wire Fence


and Concrete Barriers


are going to be released in the coming days. Ill probably make a post in my Games Extract thread on the forums too with new pictures... just wanted to give you a heads up, though.

Also, Ive rejoined the Illumina team. Currently Im binding rigs to meshes. After that Im going to be doing a bit of texture work, which Im really looking forward to. Once I do something of note, Ill post a screen or two.

Now on to the big stuff.

I released two new tutorials today. One is a primer on how to take texture photos. The other covers how to animate suspension for wheeled vehicles..

As some of you may remember from my last .plan, I wanted to make the animated suspension tutorial a video tutorial. Not just a video tutorial, though, the most glorious video tutorial ever. I wanted to model it on shows like Bill Nye the Science Guy and have it be fun to watch. This past week I had to face the fact that I simply dont know enough about motion graphics to make it happen right now. Ive done work with after effects and flash in the past that was recieved well, but the tutorial is so far beyond the scope of any of that. The whole premise is a cartoon version of myself explaining this process (and future processes). The bulk would still be captured video from Max, but the intro had my cartoon self talking to the camera and jumpin around with lots of close ups and far away shots and lots of good cutaways and bright colors and stuff.

Im telling you.... GLORIOUS.

The fact is, though, that the tutorial has been written and sitting on my harddrive for the past week and a half. With the execption of a few slight errors that have since been corrected, its was entirely finished. I had to be realistic (as much as it sucks when youve got starry eyes) and realize that if I wanted to make the video I had in my head, it would have taken me at least another month. Thats horrible for two reasons. The first is that Im in my last semester of school, and in 2 months I have to put work up in the senior show. If I spend a month on the tutorial, then I have only one month to dedicate to the show.

The second, and this is the important one, is that it would be one more month the information isnt out there. Now that I know what Im doing, I realize that the information was always out there... I just didnt know enough in order to understand it. The problem lies in the fact that there are few resources that spark an epiphany; something that takes you from the realm of "huh?" to "OH MY GOD, THAT'S IT!".

I remember wanting to learn how to animate suspension for a very long time. I started a thread called We need tutorials written by experts! Ill pay for it! My idea was that if one of the higher ups in the community were to write tutorials, then they could add in all of that extra information they got from their years of experience, which in turn would be the catalyst for that spark. A common reply to that thread, as I expected, was (understandbly) time is money and tutorials take a lot of time. No one was against the idea... everyone seemed to like it a lot... but tutorials don't sell as well as an actual product.

Around the same time (or maybe a bit before) I wrote that thread, I started getting the idea for Games Extract. I was learning the basics of game art by teaching myself... I dont need to tell anyone here that the hurdles were (and still are) numerous. I feel comfortable with my ability now, though. I feel accomplished. Its a fantastic feeling being able to look back at the past two years, think of all the sweat, and know that because of my persistance (and a few epiphanies), Im coming out on top the whole mess.

I want to be able to do that for other people. It feels like a calling. I think I have the ability to relate information in a way that makes sense to people who dont have a clue of where to begin... at least better than most. The video tutorials were the next step in that progression. Not only would they help people spawn that "Eureka!" lightbulb over their heads, but people who werent even necessarily interested in learning the technique could watch them because the videos would be entertaining. Because the videos were easy to watch, everyone would walk away learning something, even if they didnt immediately realize it.

When you learn something, you feel empowered. And that, ladies and gents, is what im ALL about.

Its this whole progression; wanting to get into the game industry, starting games extract, everything; its what this progression is all about for me: Empowerment. I can remember playing Tribes 2 the first time I gunned down a bomber with a shrike. It was years ago. I had the dumbest grin on my face. It was empowering. I felt a sense of confidence. It was fun. And it made an impression on me. Games have the ability to do INCREDIBLE things. They can simply be an assload of fun, but they also touch upon profound things. And because the medium is what it is, you dont even realize you're getting all this great stuff until (unless) you think about it later. Games have changed my life, and there is not a single doubt in my mind that Im going to see them change the world during the entirety of my lifetime.

And so to bring it back around, I need to do this with my life. I need to. Not want. Need. A couple weeks ago I completed the first 3d contract work I ever got... I was a texture artist for a series of commercials that are going to be showing all around New England. It was the most rewarding money I ever made. I can't go back to just doing graphic design. I love design, design is a lot of fun, but Im not passionate about it like I am games.

That being said, I had to make the decision to just release the tutorial now and get the information out there. I want to make the video, but first I need to do some personal work to get my portfolio up. Im out in the world come june, and I need to make sure I can get a job in games. Or at least I need to feel Im on my way to getting a job.

Ill close this with the last bit thats been floating in my head. Ive been tossing the idea around that I may stay in Eugene after my internship with GarageGames. The idea behind this is that if at all possible, I want to stay indie. Being in the same place as so many talented indies seems like a good plan for someone who wants to work in indie games. I dont know... that may be something that just isnt in the cards... but looking ahead its a happy thought. Even if I have to work a design job (or more likely, several design jobs), Im thinking that being in the thick of it all may make it worth it.

But this is all "in my wildest dreams" type thinking. For all I know, Eugene is jerksville.